AYDEN – This is not the same Pamlico Hurricanes that started the year.

It’s one that relies on ball movement and teamwork.

Four players scored in double figures to lead the 11th-seed Hurricanes past Ayden-Grifton, 69-61, in the sectional finals of the NCHSAA 1-A state playoffs at Bob Murphrey Gymnasium in Ayden.

“Early in the season, we only had one guy scoring for us,” said Pamlico guard D.J. Lewis, who scored 12. “We had everybody scoring tonight and playing as a team.”

The Hurricanes (14-12) missed the playoffs last season. Now, they are heading the regionals for the first time since 2008.

In that 2007-08 season, Pamlico marched to the state championship game in Chapel Hill before falling to Winston-Salem Prep.

This year’s Pamlico bunch was third in the Coastal Plains Conference, and won three straight playoff games.

“It was three straight on the road,” Pamlico coach Earl Sadler said. “They are good kids, been through tough times and had some hard breaks. They deserve this.”

The Hurricanes will play at Crowne Arena in Fayetteville at 8:30 on Wednesday.

Ayden-Grifton started the contest on fire — draining six 3-pointers in the first half.

The Chargers stormed out to a 35-22 lead with 1:45 left in the second quarter. Pamlico went on a 6-0 run to close its deficit to 35-28 at halftime.

“I told them we need to go on a 6-0 run, and bam we went on a 6-0 run,” Sadler said. “This is the most resilient group I’ve ever coached. They never think they are going to lose.”

Pamlico’s defense buckled down and the Hurricanes eventually took their first lead, 42-41, after Lewis’ 3-pointer with 2:50 remaining in the third quarter.

Ayden-Grifton answered to regain a 49-44 advantage entering the final stanza.

“(Ayden-Grifton) was hitting some unbelievable shots in the first half, and I told our guys at halftime that if we keep making shots, they weren’t going to continue to shoot like that, and they didn’t,” Sadler said. “They started missing shots. Josiah (Simmons), D.J. (Lewis) and Bradley (Bennett) did an unbelievable job on their perimeter guys.”

Pamlico took the lead for good when senior Jermicus Brown drove the lane and flipped the ball in the basket with 2:31 remaining.

Brown put his team up 61-57 with another bucket on Pamlico’s next possession.

“I felt like we needed to get more than a two-point lead in order to feel safe,” Brown said. “We went into halftime and said we can’t come out here and lose. We came this far and we couldn’t let us. We were able to finish it.”